A Ship Called Love

Blues-folk singer/songwriter and guitarist Eric Bibb dedicates his latest CD, A Ship Called Love, to “the late great Curtis Mayfield,” known, among other things, for his gospel crossover hit “People Get Ready.” Mayfield’s tune was inspired by Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech: “People get ready, there’s a train a-comin’/ You don’t need no baggage, you just get on board.” Bibb’s opening title song is clearly inspired by Mayfield’s message of love and faith, as he sings, “Well there’s a ship called love gettin’ ready to sail/ People, I know you know it’s time to get on board.” At the risk of sounding cliché, I’d say the title song alone makes this CD worth having: Bibb, backed by The Dixie Hummingbirds, sings it so sweetly. This entire disc of originals is music with a positive message offered up with a laid-back, gentle and heartfelt groove. Not for the really angry—unless, of course, you want to allow yourself to be soothed.